Gas producer



Jan. 9,, 1923. 1,441,330

w. B. CHAPMAN. v

GAS PRODUCER. FILED APR. 20, 1918. 6 SHEETS-SHEET `3 @mi N W. B. CHAPMAN.

GAS PRODUCER FILED APR.

Jan. 9 p 1923.

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- -y QAM, LftM from/5X8 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5 l W. B. CHAPMAN. GAS PRonuER.

FILED APR. 20. 1918.'

103 A104 .93 JQ! Mom/frs' Jan. 9, 1923.

V w. B. CHAPMAN.

GAS PRODUCER# FILED APR. y20. 1918. 6 sHEETs-sI-'isu 6 @Mff' Patented Jan. 9, 1923.

'UNITED sra'ras rarau'r orifice.,

WILLIAM B. CHAPMAN, or New YORK, N. Y., .assIeNon BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

CHAPMAN ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF OHIO. i

GF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO, A CORPORATION GAS PRODUCER.

Application filed April 20, 1918.

To all 1.o tem it may concern:

Be it known that I, VViLLIAir B. CHAP- MAN, of 11 Broadway, New York city, in the county of New York and in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in `Gras Producers, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof.

The invention has for an object to provide a `rias producer'in which the bed of fuel is agitated in suchl 'a way as to bring about an even distribution of the fuel, and prevent caking` thereof or the formation of blowlholes therein. A further object of the invention is to regulate automatically the relation of the vagitator to the fuel bed in such a way that the agitator shall always be maintained in proper position.

Another' ob]ect of the invention is to provide a mechanical fuel feed which will distribute the coal evenly over the surface of the fuel bed, and at any desired rate. Further ob- Vjects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the description hereinafter contained, in which are disclosed certain embodiments of the invention, which embodiinl-)nts however are to be considered merely as illustrative of the principle thereof.`

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a gas producer-constructed in accordance with the invention: l

Fi 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1 looking); inthe direction of the arrows:

lfigz is a vertical section of another form o gras producer within the principle of the invention:

Fig; 4l is a top view of the structure shown in Fig. 3:

Fig.. 5 is an enlarged side view of the mechanism for mechanically feedinf,r the fuel and associated parts:

Fig. 6 is section on line 6-6 of 3, lookingr in the direction of the arrows. y

ln Figs. v1 and 2 is shown a producer in which the base and top are stationary and `in which a portion of the side wall is rotated. 'The base ofthe producer is represented at Serial 110.229,74.

in this instance is formed integrally with the ring- 24, engages a driving pinion 25 on shaft 26, and the side wall 16 is thus rotated slowly about a vertical axis. The upper side section 17 of the producer Wallis supported by anumber of pillars 20, which carry the rollers 21. charging the fuel into'the producer and for removing` the fuel therefrom are provided, but are not described in detail since they vform no essential part of this embodiment of the invention. y

The coal lies within the rotating side wall 16 at approximately the level indicated by the wavy linein Fig. 1, and an agitator 3() is employed to work in the upper portion of the coal and keep its surface levelled and loosened, and prevent caking` of the coalor the formation of blowholes in Ithe llire bed. In the forni shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the agitator 30 is provided with a pair of upwardly `extending legs or supporting members 3l,

thus making the agitator as awhole of a U-shaped form. These legs are joined to the agitator arm by couplings 32 which allow the parts to be easily removed from the producer, new parts to be fitted, and also allow the agitator arm to be made of larger diameter or of different shape thanthe legs to secure the necessary amount of effect on the coal. The. agitator is held stationary, or practically so, against rotary motion and the coal within the side wall 16 rotates against it so that the agitator continually moves relative to the coal to bring about the results above mentioned. The legs 31 of the agitator are crooked or inclined oppositely to cach other as shown in Figi. 2 Vand bear against guides or stops 33, which brace the agitator and its legs against the twisting moment, and thus determine the position of lthe agitator with regard to horizontal movements, while still permitting the inclined legs 31 to ride upwardly or downwardly with regard to the guides according the amount of resistance to rotation of the fuel bed produced by the agitator is Lgreater or les. agitator 30 drops down by its own weiglitfto proper position with "regard to the fuel bed; if the supply of coal is such4 that 'the top level of the fuel rises, thetwisting. upon the agitator causes it toride iipontli'e Suitable devices for" lf the fuel bed falls, the

' and at the top of the producer the legs ex tend 'hrough meta-l guides 36 and are enclosed in housings 37 allowing free vertical motion of the agitator. 38 represents a water pipe which enters one leg 3l by which water is caused to circulate through that leg and the horizontal arm of the agitator, and overfiow from the other leg. the upper ends of the legs circular lips 39 are provided, which prevent water from triclding down the sides of the pipes and reaching the lire through the guides 36 and channels 34e. The guides 33 may also be water cooled., as by pipef29. The guides 36 stand up in the bottom of the housings 37 so that water may collect in the housings without passing through the guides and this water overflows through openings i0 to chambers ll, in the producer top, from whence it is carried away by pipes a2.

ffl

In Figs. 3 to 6 is disclosed a form of apparatus in which the proper -agitation of the fuel and proper regulation of the position of the agitator is brought about without necessitating the movement of anyheavy parts of the apparatus. lllhis is exceedingly desirable, since the cost of manufacture of such an apparatus is very much less than is the case when the producer walls are so made as to rotate; the cost of upkeep or repair is also very much lessened when only the agitator is made movable, and the heav 1 arts stationar f. In Fifi. 3 numeral Li3 represents the sidewall of the producer which, in this instance is stationary, and above which are located the producer top lei and floor 45. A hollow supporting ring having a water chamber 47. is set within the producer top 44, and carries a pedestal 43, which latter vsupports numerous parts of the apparatus later to be described.

The form of agitator disclosed in Fig. 3 comprises a substantially horizontal tubular arm i9 provided with a number of detachable stirring'i'ingeis 5() which project down into the fuel bed and preveutthe formation of clinlers or cakes in the same. rllhe arm if) performs all the functions of a, slicer ,and distributes the coal so as to maintain rtated and guided as to bring about automatically a proper elevation of the arm 4:9. Adjacent its upper end the leg 5l carries a collar 52 which is hXedly connected thereto,

f .said collar being provided with a pair of spiral shoulders or hns A worin gear 54.- surrounds the leg 5l and its collar 52, and is rotatably mounted within an oil containing casing 55. rlhe hub 56 of the worm gear 54 carries a pair of lugs 57 which engage the spiral fins 53 and thus rotate the agitator when motion is imparted to the gear 54. lt will be seen that, in case the agitator is imbedded too deeply in the fuel bed, a greater resistance to rotation of the ysame will be encountered, so that the inclined bearing surfaces between fins 53 and lugs 57 will raise the agitator until its re sistance to rotating is insufiicient to raise it further. The particular elevation at which the agitator is maintained accordingly depends upon the amount of its resistance toI rotation, a balance being maintained between the weight of the agitator' acting downwardly, and itsresistance to rotation acting'v upwardly against an inclined surface. The distance within the fuel bed at which the agitator will be maintained, can be adjusted by adding or removing weights 58 which rest upon the arm .51. `With a given weight upon suchl arm the agitator will be automatically maintained at the proper elevation with regard to the fuel bed, but the iins 53 rise entirely above'lugs 57 if the torsional strain on the agitator is too great thus releasing the agitator from its drive.

la cooling system for the agitator may be carried out by means of an inlet pipe 59 which is connected to a pipe 60 within the agitator'leg 5l. Pipe 60 leads to a similar pipe 6l within the agitator arm a9, the latter pipe being provided with suitableopenings '62 so that the cooling water passes through .estal 48, from whence a part of it passes through pipe to the interior of a coal deiiecting ring 66 which returns it to a pipe 67, through additional pipes 63 and 69. The remainder of the cooling water passes directly from chamber 6 4. through pipes 63 and 67 to one supporting leg 69 of a bearing member 70 :to the leg 5l..v The leg 69 to`- gether with a pair of legs 7l, forms a tripod support for the bearing 70, and the water is led from the interior ofsuch bearing to the/chamber 4:7, byy means of the two hollow legs 7 i.. From the chamber -l7 the water is drawn olf through pipe 72.

In order to rotate the agitator, there is provided a motor 7 which is mounted von top of the oil containing gear casing 55. The motor pinion 74 imgages a spur-gear 75 adjacent one end of a shaft 76, which latter is journalled suitable bearings 77. ,Ad-

From this point the cooling worm 84' isalso carried bythe lshaft 81, and engages the Worm Wheel 54 so as to bring about the desired tator.

The invention also comprises means for mechanically feeding coal-to the fuel bed so as to effect the proper rate of supply and distribution. According uto present producer practice, it has not been feasible to rotation of the agibuild an apparatus of over about nine feet dia-meter and feed the coal by means of a centrally located bell, owingto the fact that the bell would have to be' of such large diameter as to prevent the desired amount of coal from falling to the area directly.

under the bell.

Furthermore, in producers of the type shown in Figs. 3 to 6,`it has been the practice to rota-te the fire bed under the feed in order to distribute the fuel evenly over the Whole surface of the fuel bed. Thus the distribution of fuel would not be uniform until the fuel bed had wholly completed onn revolution with respect to the feeding` apparatus. The above method of operation has the disadvantage that7 since the fuel bed rotates only about once in one-half an hour, the temperature at different points around the fuel bed was very uneven.

According to this invention the coal is fed simultaneously over the different portions of the fuel bed, so that the distribution of coal does not depend on rotary movement of thefuel bed. Also, in a` producer of this type the space directly above the center of the fuel bed is taken up by the agitator leg and associated parts so that it is necessary to provide a fuel feed which is located at onel side, and which nevertheless will distribute the coal simultaneously over the entire fire bed, including the portions of such bed which .are directly under the agitator and its associated parts. To bring about the above results, a fuel receiving casing 85 is employed which has a chute 86 leading to the interior of the pedestal 48. An inclined shelf 87, in the interior Aof the pedestal 48, conducts a portion of the fuel to the far side of the pedestal, so thatv the portion of the fuel bed to which free pasof the coal is prevented b v the ring,` 66 and bearing 70, will still receive its share of supply. The shelf 87 preferably is made tapering (Fig. 6) so that a certain amount of fuel will be delivered at allpoints around the periphery thereof. The fuel delivered -direct a certain amount oi from the central. portion of the chute 8G will strike against the pipe 51L (Fig. 6) which encloses the agitator leg 5l, and this fuel Will fall to the near side of the'fuel bed, While the fuel which is delivered from the sides of the chute 86 Will pass around toward the far sidev of the shelf 8'? so as to reach the far side of the fuel bed. The funnel-like surfaces of the rings 46 and 66,

in combination With the shelf 87, will project coal over the outer parts of the fuel bed so as to effect proper distribution of the coal in this area. ln order to supply the center of the fuel bed properly, a plurality of deilectors 88 are provided on the ring 46, which f the falling coal to the central area of the fuel bed. Deflecjtors 89, having` handles 9() (see Figs. 3, 5

and 6) adjustable by means of nuts9l, may also be placed Within the chute 86 so as to regulate the amount of coal which will pass to the'far side of the pedestal 48. In the above manner the question of properly feeding the fuel with a centrally disposed agitator leg and supporting parts is solved.

The fuel receiving casing 85 encloses a fuel feeding` drum 92, which is mounted upon a shaft 93. Such drums are liable to sticlr owing to the'tarriness of the gas developed Within the producer, and to prevent this the distance between the Walls of the casing and the drum is made adjustable. ln the present form, this is accomplished by employing a drum and receiving casing of frusto conical. shape, so that the drum can be moved axially to separate it from the casing wall as much as is necessary. As shown in 6, a screw 94 having an operating handle 95 may be threaded into engagement with a bracket 96 in order to force the drum as close to the Walls of the casing as desired. Shaft 93 is made to proln. order to actuate the drum, an adjustable crank 97 (Fig. 5l upon the end of shaft Slis provided, such crank being pivoted to a driving rod 98. The shaft pivotally supports a forked linh 99 which encloses a grip Wheel 100, and cani lill, pivoted tc the linl; 99 at 19t?, the Wheel 19() during each stroke of the crank 97 so as to intermittently turn the Wheel 100 and therefore the'druin lt often happens that motion of the drum 92 is prevented by some obstruction ted in with the coal, and to prevent damage to the parts 1n case this should happen, a. releasab'le drive is provided tor the drum. ln the present instance this re-v sult is brought about by making the dri ing rod 98 in two parts, w iich respectively have a. pin 103 in one engaging a hole 101i in the othe but which are ordinarily linedly connected to each other by meansI of a weighted lever 105 attached by a clamp 106 to one part, and having` a taperinglug 10? engaging a tapering pin 108 on the other part. By means of the above construction the two parts ordinarily move together, but if rotation of the drum should be prevented, the tapered lug 107 will ride over the pin 108, while still exerting enough 'force on the pin during each stroke to again start the lrum as .soon as the obstruction is removed.

lt desired a spindle 109, provided with projecting pins or teeth 110, may be provided above the drum 92 in order to prevent arching of the fuel above the same, the said spindle being rotated by the gear 111 xed to it, and engaging a further gear 112 (Fig. 6) on the shaft 93.

T.While certain specific forms et the invention have been described, it is obvious that many changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as delined in the following claims.

I claim: v

1. ln a gas producer, an i'lpwardly and downwardly movable agitator, means Jfor causing relative rotation between said agitator and the tuel bed, and means ttor screwing the agitator upwardly andv dl'iwnwardly according to the torsional force produced thereupon by such relative rotation.

2. ln combination, a producer fuel bed and a fuel. agitator, mechanism .tor rotating one relative to the other, said agitator being movable toward and away troni the 'luelv and av member bearing against a partv ot the agitator during such relative rotation, an inclined bearing surface being provided between the agitator and said inember, whereby the elevation et the agitator is controlled by the amount ot resistance to such relative rotation -prmlu-ced by the agitator.

il. ln combination, a producer sido wall and. a incl agita-tru'q niechanisu.. tor rotating one relative to the other and' a g "ib means :for the ator changing its eleva tion in case ot vzliriatimi in. the amount ot torsional. resistance to such relat've rotation produced upon the agitator.

at. ln combination, a producer side wall and a fuel :.zgitator, mechanism for rota-ting one relative to the other, a guide for the agitator permitting.; movement of the latter toward and away from the fuel, said agitator and its guide having inclined engaging surfaces, whereby the elevation el' the agitator is controlled by the amount of resistance to such relative rotation produced by the agitator.

Aln combination, a producer side wall and a fuel agitator, mechanism for rotating one relative to the other, said agitator being provided with an upwardly extending leg, and a member bearing against said leg during such relative rotation, an inclined bearing surface being provided between the'agitator and said member, whereby the elevation of the agitator is controlled. by the amount ot resistance tosuch relative rotation produced by the agitator.

6. ln combination, a producer side wall and a fuel agitator, mechanism for rotating one relative to the other, said agitator being provided with an upwardly extending leg, a guide 'for the agitator permitting movement of the latter toward and away from the fuel, said agitator and its guide having inclined engaging surfaces, whereby the elevation of the agitator is controlled by the amount or' resistance to such relative rotation produced by the agitator.

7. ln combination, a producer side wall and a tuel agitator, mechanism it'or rotating relative to the other, said agitator beprovided with .an upwardly extending a guide tor the agitator surrounding l leg, a lin and inclined spiral .shoulder engagement being provided between the S. ln combination, a fuel agitator, mechanism. 'for rotatingsaid fuel agitator, an inclined. bearing surface being provided between the C,ita-tor and a part engaged by it during it rotation, whereby the elevation ot' the agitator is controlled by the amount oil" resistance to rota-tion thereof.

9. ,in combination, a producer side wall, a vfuel agitator therewithin, a mechanism for rotating said'tnel agitator, a guide 'for said agitator determining the position et' the saine with regard t0 horizontal movements, said. agitator and its guide having inclied engaging surfaces, whereby the elevation of the agitator is controlled by the amount oil? resista-nce to rotation thereof.

10. ln combination, a 'hiel agitator', mech-v 'between said leg` and gear, where 3y the elevation et the agitator is controlled by the amount oi' resistance'to rotation thereof.

1Q.. ln combination, a fuel agitator, the agitator being provided'with an upwardly extending leg, and a gear surrounding said leg for rotating the agitator, an inclined bearing surface being provided between the agitator land a part engaged by it while turning, whereby the elevation of the agitator is controlled by the amount of resistance to rotation thereof.

13. In a gas producer, a hollow pedestal located above the fuel bed, an agitator leg extending upwardly into said pedestal, means at one side of said pedestal for feeding fuel to the interior thereof, and a shelf in the interior of said pedestal leading toward the other side thereof and adjacent the fuel feeding means, whereby a portion of the fuel fed will be projected to said other side of the pedestal, and a portion of the fuel prevented from passing to said other side, by said agitator leg.

14. In a gas producer, a hollow pedestal located above the fuel bed, an agitator leg extending upwardly into said pedestal, a fuel recc-iivingcasing at one side of said pedestal adapted to feed fuel into the interior thereof, and a shelf on the inner wall of the pedestal tapering in width toward the other side thereof and adapted to lead a portion of the fuel to said other side.

15. In a gas producer, a top wall having` an annular funnel-like opening therein adapted to direct the fuel into the outer part of the fuel bed, and a deflector adapted to direct a portion of the fuel into the central area of the fuel bed.

16. In a gas producer, a top wall having an annular funnel-like opening therein adapted to direct the fuel into the outer part of the fuel bed, a deflector adapted to direct a portion of the fuel into the central area of the fuel bed, and supporting niembers for a fuel agitator obstructing direct passage of the fuel to said central area.

17. In a gas producer, a rotatable agitator, means for supporting said agitator, said means being centrally located within the producer, fuel feeding means for delivering fuel and means for deiiecting fuel to parts of the fuel bed that are screened by said supporting means.

18. In a gas producer, a rotatable agitator, means for supporting said agitator, said means being centrally located within the producer, fuel feeding means for delivering fuel at a level above said supporting means,

and means for deiiecting fuel to parts of the fuel bed that are screened by said supporting means.

19. In a gas producer, a fuel feeding passageway having agitator supporting parts extending therethrough a fuel chute lea-ding to said passageway, and means for guiding a portion of the fuel to the portion of the passageway obstructed by said supporting parts.

20. In a gas producer, a fuel feeding passageway having agitator' supporting parts extending therethrough and thereunder, a fuel chute leading to said passageway, and means for guiding a portion of the fuel to the portion of the passageway obstructed by said supporting parts, and deflectors for guiding a portion of the fuel to the part of the fuel bed underneath said supporting parts.

21. In a gas producer, a fuel feeding pas sageway having agitator supporting parts extending therethrough, and means for feeding fuel evenly to all portions of said' passageway and to all portions of the fuel bed.

22. In combination, a fuel agitator', the agitator being provided with an upwardly extending leg, and a gear surrounding said leg for rotating the agitator, a lin and spiral shoulder enga-gement being provided between said leg and gear, whereby the ele ration of the agitator is controlled by the amount of resistance to rotation thereof, said engagement being released when the resistance is too great, so as to release the agitator.

23. In a gas producer, devices for effecting a feed of fuel to the space above outer Zone of the fuel bed, and means for deflecting a portion of the fuel so fed to the central area of the fuel bed.

In a gas producer, a fuel feeding chute, an agitator extending beneath the same having an upwardly projecting stein, a bearing for said stem located above the fuel bed., and a supporting leg for said bearing having an inwardly inclined surface disposed in the path of fuel fed from said chute.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.`

IVILLIAM B. CHAPMAN. 

